Module 3: Under Imperial Spain

Lesson 3: The Reform Movement and

The Revolution

Abstraction
The Propaganda Movement and Its Objectives
The Propaganda Movement was not a radical movement as it was a peaceful
campaign for reforms geared towards changing the political and social order in the
country under the Spanish rule. The reformists sought the following (Garcia, 2015):
• Equality of Filipinos and Spaniards before the law;
• Assimilation of the Philippines as a province of Spain;
• Restoration of representation of the Philippines in the Spanish Cortes; •
Secularization of Philippine parishes; and
• Individual liberties for the Filipino people, such as freedom of speech,
press, and redress of grievances.
The Filipino Propagandists
Filipino propagandists came from middle
class
and affluent families, who are sent abroad to obtain
education in Europe. Notable among these
propagandists were Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez
Jaena, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Antonio Luna, Juan
Luna, Mariano Ponce, Jose Ma. Panganiban and
others. Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, and
Marcelo H. Del Pilar were called the Triumvirate
of
the Propaganda Movement (Garcia, 2015).
Jose Rizal: The Novelist. One of the most
highly educated among the Filipino Propagandists.
His literary works were Noli Me Tangere,
considered
as the Charter of Filipino Nationalism, and El
Filibusterismo, which was his anatomy of a Figure 1. Jose Rizal (left), Marcelo H. del Pilar (middle), and
failed revolution. Rizal warned the Spanish Graciano Lopez
Jaena(right,sitting) were the Triumvirate of the Propaganda
authorities that Filipinos had desired Movement.
assimilation and may prefer to
die than to suffer longer ang thus, Spain should grant it.
Because of Rizal’s growing influence for reforms and exposition of the
corruption of the friars, the friars did everything to have him tried for treason and
sedition. Later, Rizal was condemned and sentenced to die by musketry on
 December 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan.
Graciano Lopez-Jaena: The Orator. He was born in Jaro, Iloilo on December
17, 1856, and studied at Seminary of Jaro in preparation for priesthood. Being a keen
observer and his extraordinary talent for writing, he was able to write Fray Botod, a
criticism of the friars which made them the object and contempt of the people. He left
the Philippines to escape arrest and founded the La Solidaridad with other Filipino
expatriates. He became the first editor of the newspaper. His expertise in writing and
oratory were manifested in his articles and speeches. He died of tuberculosis on
January 20, 1896 in Barcelona, Spain.
Marcelo H. del Pilar: The Journalist. Born in Bulacan, Bulacan on August
30, 1850, Marcelo was a co-equal of Rizal in intellectual capacity as he was a
lawyer, journalist, and a political analyst. Aware of the abuses of the Spaniards,
Marcelo founded the Diariong Tagalog where he published articles lambasting the
Spanish authorities and friars. To escape persecution, he went to Europe and join
the Filipino expatriates in their campaign for reforms. He died on July 14, 1896.
La Solidaridad
The organ of patriotic society established by
Filipino
expatriate in Barcelona, La Solidaridad. The
society,
Associacion La Solidaridad was founded on
December
31, 1888, which pledge to work on reforms from the
Spanish
government. The officers of the society were the
following
(Garcia, 2015):
• President – Galiciano Apacible
• Vice-President – Graciano Lopez-Jaena
• Secretary – Manuel Sta. Maria
• Treasurer – Mariano Ponce
• Accountant – Jose Ma. Panganiban
Rizal was unanimously chosen as its and was founded on February 15, 1899. The
honorary president. The La Solidaridad was aims of the La Solidaridad were the following:
not a newspaper but more of a newsletter Figure 2. La Solidaridad featuring Ferdinand Blumentritt in the
front page. Source: Ambeth R. Ocampo.

• To work peacefully for political and social reforms;

• To portray the deplorable conditions of the Philippines for Spain to
remedy them;
• To oppose evil forces of reaction and medievalism;
• To advocate liberal ideas and progress; and
• To champion the legitimate aspirations of the Filipino people to life,
democracy, and happiness.
To prevent the Spaniards from discovering the identity of the propagandists,
the Filipino reformists used pseudonyms.
• Marcelo H. del Pilar – Plaridel
• Jose Rizal – Laon Laan/Dimasalang
• Mariano Ponce – Kalipulako/Tikbalang
• Antonio Luna – Taga-Ilog
• Jose Ma. Panganiban – Jomapa
La Liga Filipina
In Hong Kong, Jose Rizal prepared the constitution of a civic society he
planned to establish. The civic society, La Liga Filipina, aims the following
(Agoncillo, 1990):
• Unite the whole archipelago into one compact, vigorous, and
homogenous body;
• Mutual protection in every want and necessity;
• Defense against all violence and injustice;
• Encouragement of instruction, agriculture, and commerce; and •
Study and application of reforms.
On July 3, 1892, Rizal founded La Liga Filipina in Calle Ilaya, Tondo. Three
days later, Rizal arrested by order of Governor General Despujol. With the
deportation of Rizal in Dapitan, La Liga Filipina died due to internal conflict and split
into two faction, the rightist composed of middle-class members called Cuerpo de
Compromisarios, and the leftist composed of poor members, the Katipunan
(Garcia, 2015).
Failure of Propaganda Movement
The failure of Propaganda Movement can be attributed to the following
reasons (Garcia, 2015):
• Spain was preoccupied with her own internal problems and has no time
to consider colonial problems aired by the propagandists.
• Friars counter all attacks of the reformists through their newspaper in the
Philippines entitled La Politica de Espana en Filipinas.
• Petty quarrels among the reformists which made them disunited. • Lack
of financial support for the activities of the propaganda in Europe.
The Katipunan
The arrest and deportation of Rizal to Dapitan means that the Propaganda
Movement had failed. Bonifacio, a member of the La Liga Filipina, no longer dreamed
for reforms for the country and became interested in liberating the country from
Spanish tyranny by force. He founded a radical society called the Katipunan with an
official name of Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangan, Katipunan ng mga Anak ng
Bayan.
 never finished high school, Bonifacio was an
intelligent and smart man. He knew to speak
Spanish and his work with a British firm made
him knew the basic of English language. His
idea for a radical change was inspired by the
books he read, among them were
Robespierre’s The French Revolution, Victor
Hugo’s Les Miserables, Rizal’s Noli and Fili,
and the novels of Alexander Dumas. He
Figure 3. Andres Bonifacio. married two
Andres Bonifacio. Born on November 30, women in his life. First was a certain Monica
1863, he was orphaned at an early age, he who died of leprosy. Second was Gregoria
made canes and paper fans together with his de Jesus which became member of
siblings to meet their necessities. Even he
Katipunan with a title of Lakambini ng Katipunan (Garcia,
2015). The Founding of Katipunan
Rizal has been exiled on July 7, 1892, and on that night, Bonifacio met
secretly with his friends on Azcarraga Street (now Claro M. Recto) in Tondo. They
decide to form the secret society which bore the initials K.K.K. The central
leadership of Katipunan was the Kataastaasang Sanggunian (Supreme Council)
which consisted of the following members (Agoncillo, 1990; Garcia, 2015):
• President/Supremo – Deodato Arellano
• Intervenor/Comptroller – Andres Bonifacio
• Fiscal – Ladislao Diwa
• Treasurer – Valentin Diaz
• Secretary – Teodoro Plata
The platform of the Katipunan revolve around the following three fundamental
goals and objectives; (1) independence from Spain by arms; (2) teaching good
morals, integrity, honesty, and self-worth; and (3) defense of poor and oppressed.
In 1893 Roman Basa became the Supremo. Later, Bonifacio replaced him
because of dissatisfaction in Basa’s performance.
Emilio Jacinto. He was called the Brains of Katipunan. He was fluent in
both Spanish and Tagalog but preferred to speak in Spanish. He did not finish his
college education as he joined the Katipunan at the age of 20. Jacinto wrote for the
Katipunan newspaper Kalayaan. He used the pen name Dimasilaw and used the
alias Pingkian
in the Katipunan. He was the author of Kartilya ng Katipunan. After Bonifacio’s
death, he continued fighting the Spaniards without joining the forces of Aguinaldo.
He contracted malaria and died on April 16, 1899 at the age of 23.
Discovery of the Katipunan
A worker of the Diario de Manila printing press, Teodoro Patiño confessed to
Father Mariano Gil the existence of the Katipunan. The Spanish Civil Guards then
raided the premises of the orienting press on August 18, 1896 and arrested
suspected members of the K.K.K.
Outbreak of the Revolution
 Bonifacio and other leaders of KKK conducted a meeting in the vicinity of the
house of Melchora Aquino’s son. They decided to push through the arm struggle
against Spain. Bonifacio and his men took out their cedulas and tore them to pieces
shouting “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas”. This event will be known as the Cry of Pugad
Lawin.
The first encounter between the Spaniards and Katipuneros took place at the
Battle of Pasong Tamo. The first real battle of revolution was the Battle of
Pinaglabanan. The revolution spread to several provinces of Luzon forcing
Governor-General Ramon Blanco to place the first eight provinces under martial
law: Manila, Laguna, Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite,
Pampanga, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija.
Revolution in Cavite
The Katipuneros in Cavite stormed the municipal
building of San Francisco de Malabon on August 31, 1896.
The
Magdiwang faction attacked the Spaniards in Noveleta,
while
the Magdalo faction captured a Spanish garrison. Emilio
Aguinaldo became a hero in one the battles in Cavite and
therefore, he was endorsed to become the leader of
Katipunan
by his cousin who was the founder and leader of Magdalo
faction, Baldomero Aguinaldo. The Magdiwang faction, which
was led by Bonifacio’s uncle, Mariano Alvarez, considered it as unacceptable.
Figure 4. Emilio Aguinaldo.

Success of the Katipunan was short lived as the Spanish campaigns against
them became successful. They decided to meet on March 22, 1897 on Tejeros
(known as Tejeros Convention) to discuss strategies on how Cavite should be
defended but end up establishing new revolutionary government to supplant the
Katipunan. Bonifacio agreed to chair the assembly and the following were elected
officials of the new revolutionary government via secret balloting:
• President – Emilio Aguinaldo
• Vice-President – Mariano Trias
• Captain General – Artemio Ricarte
• Director of War – Emiliano Riego de Dios
• Director of Interior – Andres Bonifacio
One member of Magdalo questioned the competence of Bonifacio to hold his
position on the ground that Bonifacio was not a lawyer. This created a commotion in
the meeting as Bonifacio feel embarrassed of the comment. Bonifacio then declared
the assembly dissolved and all its approved actions null and void (Garcia, 2015).
To avoid the collapse of Katipunan, Aguinaldo ordered the arrest of Bonifacio
ang his brothers. On May 10, 1897, Bonifacio, together with his brother Procopio,
they were executed at Mt. Nagpatong as ordered by General Mariano Noriel (Garcia,
2015).
Biak-na-Bato
As the Spanish forces were strengthened by reinforcements from Spain,
Aguinaldo’s forces retreated to Biak-na-Bato, San Miguel de Mayumo, in Bulacan
where he established a new government, which known to be Biak-na-Bato
Republic. It was established on November 1, 1897 with the following officials:
• President – Emilio Aguinaldo
• Vice-President – Mariano Trias
• Secretary of Interior – Isabelo Artacho
• Secetary of Treasury – Baldomero Aguinaldo
• Secretary of War – Emiliano Riego Dios
Governor-General Primo de Rivera offered peace to Aguinaldo. On
December 14 to 15, 1897, a peace pact was signed known to be The Pact at Biak
na-Bato. The pact would grant amnesty and allowed the Katipuneros to go home,
voluntary exile of Aguinaldo and other leaders to Hong Kong with P800,000 given in
three installments. Spain also promised to pay P900,000 to Filipino civilians who
suffered losses because of the revolution.